Topic 1: Integrated Earth Systems

Question 1

How many types of systems are there?

Answer 1

3 types
- Isolated system: no movement of energy and matter
- Closed system: energy moving freely, but not matter
- Open system: both energy and matter moving freely across boundaries

Question 2

What system is the Earth?

Answer 2

A nearly closed system

Question 3

What are the environmental implications of Earth being a closed system?

Answer 3

• Matter is not moving in or out –> finite and fixed matter
• Matter is not moving in or out –> no place to throw things away (accumulating waste, more alarming as we develop)
• Changes to 1 part can impact critically on others

Question 4

Describe all Earth systems

Answer 4

• Lithosphere: rocky Earth (rocks, regolith, minerals)
• Atmosphere: gaseous Earth (gases and particles, water vapour)
• Hydrosphere: aqueous Earth (Earth’s water, oceans, lakes, streams, groundwater, ice)
• Biosphere: organisms and organic matter
• Anthroposhere: parts of natural systems being impacted by human activities

Question 5

What are biogeochemical cycles?

Answer 5

Continous cycles or movement/recycling of Earth’s elements and compounds via biotic and abiotic reservoirs

Question 6

What are reservoirs?

Answer 6

Reservoirs are supplies or sources of anything

Question 7

What is flux?

Answer 7

A process in which matter or substances constantly change or move.

Question 8

What is Reprentative Concentration Pathways?

Answer 8

RCP are models presenting projected pathways/trends that future climate outcomes can follow.
These scenarios take into account many assumptions of various life aspects and are adopted by IPCC.

Question 9

What is a circular economy?

Answer 9

An economy prioritising reusing and recycling products/materials rather than discarding after one use and extracting new resources. In this model, such materials will be returned to the economy flow and be used again more efficiently.

Question 10

What is a system?

Answer 10

Also a concept of a portion of the universe

Question 11

What is greenhouse climate?

Answer 11

A climate scenario in which there will be no permanent ice sheets –> high levels of CO2

Question 12

What is icehouse climate?

Answer 12

A climate scenario in which there will be a long-term decrease in temp –> polar ice caps and continential ice sheets.

Question 13

What is planet habitability?

Answer 13

The ability of a planet to support different life forms, which can be achieved by various life-support systems,
i.e: liquid water, gravity, magnetosphere, ozone, layer, plate tectonics.

Question 14

What purposes can soil be used for?

Answer 14

Soil is very multi-functional (growing crops, stores water, support life, etc.) –> appropriate methods to preserve and use soil properly

Question 15

What steps can be taken to secure soil resource?

Answer 15

1st, have to recognize the multi-function characteristics of soil,

2nd, analyse the conditions of soil –> sustainable management and appropriate use

3rd, the capital value of soil must be determined in order to drive the 2nd one

4th, the connection between humans and soil

5th, policy or regulations may come in to intervene and help to sustain and protect that soil

Question 16

What are blue, green, and grey water?

Answer 16

• Blue water: in surface and ground reservoirs, used for irrigation (urban environment??)
• Green water: water transpired by plants from rainwater stored in soil, used for crops
• Grey water: polluted water during production (eutrophication)

Question 17

What is accumulative disadvantage?

Answer 17

In the climate change in this course, accumulative disadvantage means that disadvantages groups which already living with structural inequalities are impacted natural hazards and more vulnerable to post-crisis effects.

Question 18

What is food system adaptation?

Answer 18

Climate change (change in temperature, soils, etc.)
–> farmers need to adapt (new crops, new methods), fewer people rely on their own crops
–> food system changes